Workshops for Professionals

I offer the following services to non-educator professionals:

Training for the technically minded who want to present or teach more effectively

I have taught all across the United States and in a couple Africa countries- during my time at Universities, Maker Spaces, Museums, Libraries, incubators, schools and accelerators I’ve learned some things about presenting. Spend a little time gaining the skills to help others learn, keep their attention and get your audience invested in your interaction.

Cost effective prototyping services

Looking to make your idea for an electronic gizmo into a reality? I have experience with a wide variety of sensors, actuators and wireless. I’d be happy to help you move your project closer to production.

Technology integration for artists and artistic installations

There are an infinite number of exciting possibilities at the intersection of Art and Technology. Whether it’s just sewing some LEDs into wearables or a dynamic and mind blowing wireless network based interactive- I can keep you moving towards your beautiful and functional vision.

Workshop development and delivery for a wide variety of products and skills

Workshop materials and delivery for a broad crowd- students, teachers, professors, engineers, hackers, artists and all other interested parties. Existing content is differentiated to allow for delivery to multiple different skill levels. Workshop creation focuses on the clients’ needs to ensure that they receive materials that work for their time scale and audience.

Whatever your area of interest, pursue it today by emailing me-

LinzeeCraig at gmail.com

Workshop offerings for professionals:

Introduction to Arduino

Go from blinking an LED to virtual prototyping in seven hours and still have time to eat lunch! This class is for anyone who has never played around with Arduino before and those who have played around a little bit but aren’t entirely sure about how the basics work. It’s easier than you think! We will put together basic single component electrical circuits, learn about analog and digital, input and output, basic programming concepts and practice very basic Serial communication. Students will create three simple circuits highlighting analog and digital forms of input and output. Get started with the Arduino programming environment, briefly discuss programming and virtual prototyping. I’ve taught this class far more times than I can remember, I tailor this class depending on the audience’s experience level and interests.

Prerequisites- none

Length- 7 hours

Suggested age- 11 – 99 (flexible)

Cost- $30 an hour for the first student, $10 an hour for each additional student. Plus hardware costs. Workshop setup and breakdown is included for no additional fee.

Introduction to Processing

Learn the basics of computer programming with Processing, a programming environment that allows artists and designers to quickly create fun and interactive programing in Java and other programming languages! Because it’s Open and has a large community Processing allows beginners to get started quickly and has enough libraries that more advanced users can find code examples to pursue almost any concept, from video game design and internet connectivity to Android applications and hardware integrations. Come learn the basics of computer programming while making a simple character move around the screen. Depending on how much time we have we can even get into animation, importing images and other concepts.

Prerequisites- none

Length- 4 – 7 hours

Suggested age- 13 – 99 (flexible)

Cost- $30 an hour for the first student, $10 an hour for each additional student. Plus hardware costs. Workshop setup and breakdown is included for no additional fee.

Serial Communication Between Arduino & Processing

Have you ever wanted to control a robot from your laptop or desktop computer? Then this workshop is for you. We’ll click on a button on our computer screens and light up an LED or move a servo for starters! Then we’ll move a slider on the screen and make some (horrible) electronics music through a buzzer! Once you learn the basics the possibilities are endless. In this workshop you will learn how to make very basic Graphic User Interfaces (GUIs) that interact with an Arduino microcontroller and sensors.

Prerequisites- Introduction to Arduino and Introduction to Processing

Length- 4 – 7 hours

Suggested age- 13 – 99 (flexible)

Cost- $30 an hour for the first student, $10 an hour for each additional student. Plus hardware costs. Workshop setup and breakdown is included for no additional fee.

Bluetooth Communication Between Arduino & Processing

Learn how to use and configure Bluetooth to talk between your computer and a robot! Send commands from a Graphical User Interface program to a microcontroller with sensors or actuators nearby. We will do things like send AT commands to the Bluetooth unit to establish the speed of communication, light up LEDs, use the Bluetooths to control the position of a servo. We will also discuss how to configure Bluetooth parameters themselves over Bluetooth Serial communication.

Length- 7 hours

Suggested age- 13 – 99 (flexible)

Cost- $30 an hour for the first student, $10 an hour for each additional student. Plus hardware costs. Workshop setup and breakdown is included for no additional fee.

Plated Through Hole Soldering

This workshop will cover the basics of through hole soldering, also known as plated through-hole soldering (PTH), discuss the tools needed, go over techniques for proper soldering and show you where you can go from there. We will also discuss rework as it pertains to through-hole soldering and give you some tips and tricks that will make fixing almost any piece of electronics a breeze. This workshop can be for beginners and experts alike. Whether you’ve never touched an iron before or are looking for a little refresher, this workshop has a little something for everyone.

Prerequisites- None

Length- 2- 5 hours

Suggested age- 7 – 99 (flexible)

Cost- $30 an hour for the first student, $10 an hour for each additional student. Plus hardware costs. Workshop setup and breakdown is included for no additional fee.

Surface Mount Device Soldering

Ever wondered how people work with those tiny components and chips you see inside your electronics? You’re in luck! This workshop will cover the more advanced soldering known as surface mount device soldering (SMD), discuss the tools needed, go over techniques for proper soldering and show you where you can go from there. We will also discuss rework as it pertains to surface mount device soldering and give you some tips and tricks that will make fixing almost any piece of electronics a breeze. This workshop is for people looking to step up their soldering game and experts alike. Whether you’ve never touched surface mount device before or are looking for a little refresher, this workshop has a little something for everyone.

Prerequisites- Plated Through Hole Soldering

Length- 3- 7 hours

Suggested age- 7 – 99 (flexible)

Cost- $30 an hour for the first student, $10 an hour for each additional student. Plus hardware costs. Workshop setup and breakdown is included for no additional fee.

Rework Soldering

Learn the basics of fixing broken electronics. We’ll cover tools, maintenance and discuss various soldering techniques as well as will fix broken PCB traces and address how to deal with a pulled Via or SMD pad. We will also cover “green wire” fixes, IC adjustment, removal and replacement. Whether you’ve never touched surface mount device before or are looking for a little refresher, this workshop has a little something for everyone.

Prerequisites- Plated Through Hole Soldering (suggested)

Length- 3- 7 hours

Suggested age- 7 – 99 (flexible)

Cost- $30 an hour for the first student, $15 an hour for each additional student. Plus hardware costs. Workshop setup and breakdown is included for no additional fee.

Stencil Soldering (Production Techniques)

In this workshop we will cover a production technique for soldering surface mount technology known as stencil soldering, discuss the tools needed, go over techniques for proper stencil soldering and show you where you can go from there. We will also discuss rework as it pertains to production techniques, board testing and programming. We will use a rework iron to heat the solder but we will discuss reflow techniques and technology. This skills is exactly where anyone who wants to step up to in house production should start.

Length- 3- 7 hours

Suggested age- 11 – 99 (flexible)

Cost- $30 an hour for the first student, $15 an hour for each additional student. Plus hardware costs. Workshop setup and breakdown is included for no additional fee.

Five Days of Prototyping

Got an idea for a prototype but not sure exactly how to make it happen? I offer five days of prototyping skills from schematic to breadboard to PCB designs and the skills to turn that PCB design into a finished project as well as concentrating on additional concepts to be chosen by student(s).

The class will start with a discussion of the design process, sourcing parts and datasheets as well as how to create schematics, logic charts and pseudocode. The second day will be an Introduction to Arduino. The third day will find us practicing some of the embedding skills necessary for creating electronic prototypes by soldering (PTH, SMD or stenciling) or sewing circuits using e-textiles technology. The fourth day is an introduction to Processing or PCB design depending on student interest. The fifth day is reserved for a final concept (to be decided in class) or continued work on students’ prototype projects.

Prerequisites- None

Length- 35 hours

Suggested age- 11 – 99 (flexible)

Cost- $30 an hour for the first student, $15 an hour for each additional student. Plus hardware costs. Workshop setup and breakdown is included for no additional fee.